This invention relates to a substance coated with a dissolvable coating or covering.
A hemorrhage of a blood vessel, body tissue, organ or bone can result in blood loss leading to shock and death. Many of these fatalities can be prevented if blood loss at the particular site is minimized. For example, fibrin has been employed as a coagulating substance to stop bleeding and to seal wounds. These “fibrin glues” are typically based on a two component system of fibrinogen and thrombin which when mixed form a fibrin coagulum. These components, however, have a water-like fluidity that makes them difficult to handle and administer.
As an alternative to fibrin glue, a biodegradable collagen patch in the form of a collagen carrier such as a foam, web or film that is coated with a mixture of blood-clotting components including fibrinogen and thrombin has been employed. However, optimum timing of the fixing procedure of the active components onto the collagen carrier is difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the active components are not able to penetrate beyond the surface of the collagen carrier, which limits the concentration of blood-clotting components available to the surface of the patch.
Accordingly, there is a need for hemostatic devices that are less complicated to use than those described above.